Monday, April 18, 2016
Post #12: Underpaid Young Stars (due April 24)
There is something about this piece I love. Maybe it's the tension between "underpaid" young stars and the big contract players they will someday (hopefully) become. I use quotes around underpaid intentionally because, let's get serious, even though these players are underpaid, they are making so much more money than the average American. That said, they are making much less than players who aren't performing as well or who have signed big deal contracts. I also find Teixeira's closing line to be quite fitting to the real culture of MLB. What are your thoughts?
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It is interesting that there are such disparities between salaries for different players. While it makes sense that there is a “salary structure” where seniority makes you worthy of a higher salary, I think that the current structure is unbalanced. I think seniority should play a role, but I don’t think that salary should be dependent on seniority more so than talent. I am in agreement with the authors of this article that salaries should surely be reflective of performance, and when they aren’t, it creates unneeded hostility between owners and players. All of the players in the MLB have worked incredibly hard to get to where they are, and though players who have been there longer should be rewarded, I don’t think the most talented players should have unnecessarily lower salaries just because they are newer to the game. However, it is interesting to note that all of these players are still making a lot of money and are still willing to complain and push for higher salaries. Because of this, I think the solution does not lie in paying the most talented players higher salaries than ever before. I think the only way to reduce the hostility of “underpaid” players and promote a more balanced salary structure is to decrease the influence that seniority has. It should still play a role, but I think players should be paid based on talent and the reward for being a senior player should be decreased in monetary quantity. The most talented players don’t need to be making more money than they are now; they just should be paid in a way that reflects their talent. I don’t think it should be a money issue, but rather an issue about talented players being acknowledged and recognized for their talent.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is unfair that some players in the MLB are paid $507,500 while others have $180 million dollar contracts, this is life. Life is unfair. The disparities in pay reminds me of the saying that 1% of the US population controls 99% of the wealth in America. I find it interesting that even Mark Teixeira doesn’t understand why he is being paid 20 million dollars a year to hit a ball. However, in my opinion, major league athletes are being paid to entertain, not to show skill. Pro-sports are highly televised, advertised industry. Being pro-player is almost like being a movie star. The fame and spotlight that comes with being a high profile player deserves the pay that the pro players receive. There is so much pressure in pro sports, so in my opinion, the obscene salaries are justified.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the margin between skill levels of those at the top and those at the top of the top is small, the revenue brought in for a big player is massively disproportionate to the revenue brought in by a less-known player. Because of this, I do not think it is unfair for some players to get much less than others. At the end of the day, getting payed so much to do something that you would do anyways if it didn't pay because you love it makes the argument for being "underpaid" a shallow one. Maybe it is unfair that they do not get nearly as much as some other ball players, but they still get to play a sport for their living and they still get payed handsomely. Similarly, I concur with Elizabeth's point that they are paid to entertain more than to showcase skill. Players sell Jersey's, tickets, video game issues, etc. Our culture devours pro athletes -- but for their image, not as much their particular successes.
ReplyDeleteAs we have talked about before in class, baseball is the sport that seems to be most representative of the American dream. Therefore, you have to prove your worth before you can get a big contract. And while players like Jacob deGrom and Gerrit Cole have showed that they were good players for a year or two, they have yet to show consistency, an important part of being a great player is playing well for whole seasons for multiple seasons. Another large part of baseball is tradition. The tradition of baseball since the free agent era has been that the young players have to wait to get their big payouts, as Andrew Miller said: "It's the system we have in place. It is what it is." If this system changed the entire culture of baseball would be changed completely and this would make a lot of people uncomfortable. That is why I think that the system should be kept the way it is set now. If young players show talent and longevity in their careers, then they can get ready for their bank accounts to blow up.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of pay discrepancy is universal among many different professions. The tradition of putting value on older, more seasoned players, teachers, or employees is common in American practice. This pushes players to prove their worth in order to gain greater recognition. However, as the author points out, it sends the wrong message to the whole league. The MLB currently is placing higher value on older players and the utmost talented players, when in reality it takes a whole team to win a game. There is also something to be said for the fame that comes with being a headliner baseball player. Therefore, the disparity is somewhat justified.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how MLB teams decide to structure their payment, I feel like someone will always be upset and claim that he is not being properly compensated for his talent or prestige. In my opinion a veteran player deserves to be payed more than a young star, even if the young player is out performing the veteran. In every profession the rookies are payed like crap. After 4 years of medical school, a first year resident works much harder and longer than the board certified physician, but gets payed a fraction of what the full on doctor makes. This process is simply how America's payment is structured. Additionally, if players received their highest salaries in the beginning years then I think few veterans would stay around the game.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to find fair wage balance between young talented players and older players who may no longer be in their prime. Since baseball is a business if a team can hold onto a young star and keep him for a low price it makes the most financial sense to the organization. I do not think this is fair but there really is not a way to change that fact. I also think that a proven veteran player should make more money than a fantastic rookie because more often than not the veteran player has proven himself worthy of making a higher salary by performing in more than just one season. I do,however, understand that this system is still unfair to a player who is injured before he is eligible for free agency. The system is not set up to help those who do not reach the contract they may have deserved as a younger player and in that way the system is truly flawed. I still feel that a veteran player has still earned the right to make a higher salary than a great new player. In almost every other line of work the people with the most experience are the highest paid and baseball should be no exception.
ReplyDeleteI think this article speaks volumes for not only baseball, but also other professional sports. The amount of money these professional athletes "earn" is just crazy when you think that all they are doing is playing a sport. I really like the last paragraph and the last line because it is true; there is no justification. In retrospect, it doesn't matter how the "underpaid" or overpaid baseball players play, as long as they play they still get the money whether or not they deserve it. There is a lot of discrepancy and a lot of tension within the league and the individual teams, but I think its all part of a system that, for the most part, serves the needs and entertains the American people.
ReplyDeleteWhile I do understand where the players are coming from, I do not think that this system is entirely unfair. One must remember that baseball is a business and those in charge are well within their rights to do everything to maximize their profits. In America, the people who are proven to be good at what they do typically earn the highest salary in their field. The same goes with professional sports, not just baseball. Rookies are no different when compared to young professionals who are just starting out in their career. As they continue to progress throughout their careers and continue to prove themselves over the course of multiple years, they will more than likely get paid what they deserve. That being said, I can sympathize with the players argument about getting injured before free agency. However, this is the pay system that much of society lives by and sports are no different.
ReplyDeleteBaseball is a business, and with any business deal there will always be happy and unhappy parties. Similar to what some of my classmates have brought up, I agree that veterans should be paid more than younger players regardless of performance because veterans bring experience and knowledge that the younger players may not have. As the salary cap not only in baseball, but in all sports continue to increase, professional athletes young and old will continue to push for bigger contracts. It is easy for an outsider to say that players who seek more money are being selfish and doing it for the money and not for the love of the game, but I understand why younger players feel uncompensated. I feel like this salary disparity is difficult to solve and many of these player will have to accept that MLB salaries are unfair.
ReplyDeleteI do think it’s unfair that up and coming superstars are making such a small amount of money while old, washed out superstars are making such a large amount of money. However, baseball is a business and owners are going to pay their superstar rookies as little as possible to save the largest amount of money. If the owners wanted to show their young superstars some decent respect, they would pay those guys more even if their contracts only allowed them to make a small amount of money. Even if it’s not stated in the contract, paying young, skilled players more money is kind of like a “promotion,” showing your guys that your success in the league should be rewarded. On the other hand, I believe that owners are willing to pay these old superstars tons of money for their veteran presence and their influence that they could have on the younger guys. Obviously, players like Teixeira aren’t making millions of dollars for their play on the field.
ReplyDeleteI feel that this problem of payment versus talent discrepancies in baseball is not a big deal at all. Ideally, players should get paid based on their current performance, but that is not how contracts work. Also, I struggle to sympathize with someone who's job has a $500,000 minimum salary. Not only that, but if they do deserve more, they will get it soon enough. It's not like they need it immediately, they are still getting a solid amount of cash at or near the minimum salary. The article mentions Mike Trout, and how the Angels only offered him $20,000 above the minimum after his rookie year. Well currently Mike Trout is signed to a 6 year, 144.5 million dollar deal, which he signed at age 22. I really do not think that he or his agent is in a position to complain. If the player is that good, they will get the insane amounts of money they deserve eventually.
ReplyDeleteFirst I think that judging players solely based on stats is a mistake. WAR is a new statistic that is now being used by like every team, but it leaves out some of the intangible aspects. The players are not being as valued for their likability or for being a fan favorite, but only based on numbers. I agree that its just part of the game the rookies and young stars get paid less, and I accept that. I do however think that the collective bargaining agreement should be changed because six years until free agency is a lot. Once contracts are signed, teams are stuck with players and they should accept it. Boston should accept that they overpaid Sandoval who came off a great season when they signed him (though if he lost some weight I don't doubt he could re-emerge a good player). Part of baseball is the money, but the focus should remain on the joy of the game for the players not how much they make. This problem has led to players to develop a "do well to make money" attitude since the steroid years, so players' focus must be redirected back to the joy of the game that made them start playing at the beginning.
ReplyDeletePart of me wants to say "get over it, you're still being paid half a million dollars to play a game," but I do think that the situation is unfair. Baseball, however, is a business at its core, and its intention is to make as much money as possible, so I also believe that this disparity has to do with money. The fact that this payment disparity started affecting baseball at the same time that many teams started using statistical analysis does not surprise me either, and there seems to be a correlation. Maybe the MLB has found that this payment method is cost-effective or at least more profitable that a fair method, or maybe their just crazy. Who knows?
ReplyDeleteI think the underpaying of players is a bigger problem than the article makes it out to be. Yes it is a problem for the players, but it's a bigger problem for baseball. These players have a minimum salary of 500,000 dollars, but the minimum minor league contract is less than 100,000. Often times players that are in the minors or bounce between the majors and minors are encouraged to take steroids as if they don't make the majors playing ball won't even be worth it. This exposes a bigger problem in baseball, teams don't seem to care about the long term. They will pay highly for a franchise player, attempt to underpay their young players, and try to farm even younger players so they have replacements when the underpaid players leave for bigger paychecks. The issue with this system, like Mark Texeria implies, is that every player feels like they are owed a bigger paycheck, so the salaries for players has been growing exponentially for years.
ReplyDeleteI believe that a players value is both in their stats as well as their heart. And with that in mind, it is usually straight forward to pick out the better players on a team. I think that if a player has the talent and the heart more than the next guy, then they deserve a higher salary. Everyone has to work their way up to a higher salary, and those who deserve it will receive it in enough time. In the mean time, $500,000 is no meager amount of money, and should not be complained about. The MLB's payment system seems a bit crazy, but in reality checks out. Performance is everything, from stocking shelves at a grocery store, to playing in the MLB.
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